WHAT IS NOT PATENTABLE

An inventor cannot receive a patent for perpetual motion devices,
abstract ideas, laws
of nature, and naturally occurring substances. An
inventor cannot receive a United States patent for an invention publicly disclosed more
than 12 months ago.

Public disclosure includes any sale, exhibit at trade show, or printed in a
publication, with a few exceptions. You should seek a Patent Attorney's opinion if you
have any questions whether your invention is patentable. It should also be noted
that you do not need a prototype when seeking patent protection - you only need to be able
to describe the invention in sufficient detail so that one skilled in the art could
construct your invention.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This
web site provides general information only, not legal advice. You should
not act upon this information without independent legal counsel.
You must read and agree to the Terms
of Service before viewing this web site. The
NIFC is not associated with any Federal or State government agency.
If you have been harmed by an invention marketing company or patent
attorney, you should immediately seek the legal assistance of a reputable
attorney licensed in your state. Michael S. Neustel is licensed to
practice law only in North Dakota and in the United States Patent &
Trademark Office. Michael S. Neustel is the owner of Neustel Law Offices, LTD and Neustel Software, Inc. Statements made in this web site are merely
opinions of the National Inventor Fraud Center, Inc. and should not be
interpreted as factual. Neither Michael S. Neustel nor the NIFC
market inventions, provide market analyses or provide marketability
analyses for inventors. You are strongly encouraged to investigate
any company or law firm you plan to work with and do not rely solely upon
this web site when selecting a company to work with. Only you can
determine if the companies listed on this web site are reputable or not.